Newslinks for Wednesday 13th March 2019

May’s deal suffers second crushing defeat

“Britain was last night plunged into chaos once again as MPs voted to kill off Theresa May’s Brexit deal by 391 votes to 242. Now 993 days after the referendum, and with just 17 days before Brexit, Brits are still in the dark about when or if we will ever leave the EU. Furious MPs blasted the uncertainty – saying the “wretched soap opera of Brexit continues” as the country heads “back to square one”. And Cabinet ministers were summoned for a crisis meeting at No10 to work out how to move forward. Parliament has repeatedly voted against Mrs May’s strategy for leaving the EU on March 29 – last night the Commons laughed and cheered after the the fresh chaos was confirmed.” – The Sun

Vote on no-deal exit will be held today. The motion is ambiguous and controversial…

“Now that Mrs May’s vote did not pass the vote, Brexit is less certain and another vote is impending. President of the European Commission Jean-Claude Juncker has warned that should MPs vote the deal down for a second time, “there will be no third chance” and Parliament will have to determine the next course of action. MPs have been promised an immediate vote on whether the UK should leave the EU with no deal – and this vote could take place as soon as Wednesday. Should MPs elect for a no deal, this means the UK will leave the bloc as planned on March 29 – but will automatically switch to World Trade Organisation trade rules. However, if a no deal Brexit is rejected, a third vote will follow – on whether a delay to Article 50 should be requested.” – Daily Express

…and the Prime Minister is expected to vote against No Deal

“The defeat – the fourth worst suffered by a British government – paves the way for a series of votes this week which are set to block a no-deal Brexit and delay Britain’s exit from the EU. The apparent decision by Mrs May to vote against no-deal follows her ­repeated insistence over the past two and a half years – and a manifesto pledge – that no deal was better than a bad deal. In Parliament after the defeat, she even appeared to refuse to accept her deal was dead, potentially setting the scene for a third meaningful vote before the end of March. The Prime Minister offered Tory MPs a free vote on the issue of whether to take no-deal off the table, to the fury of Brexiteers, and she is now braced to face growing calls to step aside.” – Daily Telegraph

Can ‘Malthouse II’ rescue the Government?

“A group of Tory MPs is also preparing to revive the so-called Malthouse plan for Britain to offer an extended transition followed by a no-deal Brexit. Figures such as Damian Green and Nicky Morgan from the Remain wing of the party and the Brexiteers Steve Baker and Jacob Rees-Mogg put down the amendment outlining the plan last night, with ministers understood to be indicating their support for it. It requires new negotiations with the EU because it does not involve passing the withdrawal agreement, something Brussels and No 10 are likely to resist. Mrs May, her voice failing, told MPs, who had rejected her deal by a margin of 149 votes, that they now faced a series of unenviable choices, including whether to cancel Brexit.” – The Times

Cabinet divided over whether to push for a third ‘meaningful vote’

“The Cabinet is also set for another major bust up over what to do now, when it meets at 8am today to be shown the Chancellor’s Spring Statement mini-Budget. Several Cabinet ministers, including Transport Secretary Chris Grayling, headed-up a bid yesterday to persuade the PM to hold a third meaningful vote on her deal later this week. Mr Grayling told a meeting of her Cabinet that a few more tweaks from Brussels could turn around the defeat. But pro-Remain Cabinet ministers will instead urge her to rip up her deal and forge a consensus with Labour for a softer Brexit deal instead, currently lead by rebel Tory grandee Sir Oliver Letwin.” – The Sun

Daniel Finkelstein: The Tories’ Brexit problems run even deeper than they appear

“The Conservative Party, so stuck tactically after last night’s crushing defeat, with little idea what to do next, is stuck even more tightly strategically. Just at the moment when the economic argument for deregulation will look strongest, and at the moment when the party is likely to choose a Brexiteer and deregulator as its next leader, the political ability to follow this path will look ever more difficult. Outside the EU Britain will have to work hard to encourage foreign companies to invest. We will have made it more difficult for them in a number of ways, so we will have to compensate. This means making the country’s tax, regulation and immigration regime more attractive to investors. Something that many Brexit leaders would have no problem with themselves. Indeed, for them, the opportunity of doing this is part of the point of leaving. However, the political problems quickly become obvious.” – The Times

May lost to the ultimate adversary: reality – Rafael Behr, The Guardian

Parties have split before, but you ain’t seen nothing yet – Steven Fielding, Times Red Box

Prime Minister is ‘not going anywhere’ after Commons rout

“Theresa May was tonight forced to deny she’ll quit as PM after her Brexit deal was all but killed off in the Commons. The Prime Minister hasn’t discussed resigning with her top team, her spokesperson has said. Earlier this week it was rumoured that Mrs May could be forced to go if she suffered another damning defeat. Ministers floated the idea of the PM naming the day she would step down as Tory leaders too to persuade the Brexiteers to get behind her. Nicky Morgan said last weekend: “Her position is going to be very difficult if the agreement goes down on Tuesday”. And an MP was overheard earlier saying they may back the deal, but only if the PM keeps 29th March as the exit date “or she must resign”. “It’s as simple as that”.” – The Sun

Corbyn leads calls for election

“Jeremy Corbyn has demanded a general election in response to Theresa May’s 149-vote Brexit deal defeat – but made no mention of a second referendum. The Labour leader also pledged that his party would vote against a no-deal Brexit outcome in Wednesday’s vote and signalled that he would continue to press for a customs union with the EU. “The prime minister has run down the clock and the clock has been run out on her,” he said in the House of Commons. “It’s time that we have a general election and the people can choose who their government should be.” But despite Corbyn’s call for another poll, the party is understood to not have immediate plans to call for a vote of no confidence that could precipitate what would be the third general election in four years.” – The Guardian

Cox’s legal advice ‘riles ministers’

“Geoffrey Cox came under fire from his cabinet colleagues yesterday as they realised his legal advice had scuppered any chance of Theresa May’s Brexit deal passing at the second attempt. The attorney-general ruled that the changes to the deal secured by the prime minister in Strasbourg had left the risk of the UK being stuck in the backstop unchanged. Mr Cox, 58, a practising QC until his appointment last July, presented his advice at a cabinet meeting yesterday morning, telling his colleagues he had been “up all night” writing it. Mrs May and her team only received the advice shortly before the meeting began. Matt Hancock, the health secretary, explicitly criticised Mr Cox for undermining the prime minister. “He said Cox could and should have been more helpful,” a cabinet source said.” – The Times

Spring Statement: Hammond to fund fresh blitz against knife crime

“Philip Hammond will today announce a £100 million funding package to tackle Britain’s knife crime epidemic, The Sun can reveal. The cash will go towards violent crime units in the seven worst affected UK cities. It is a major victory for Home Secretary Sajid Javid, who demanded the cash after the surge in knife killings this year. Chancellor Philip Hammond had offered a new package of £50 million but Mr Javid held out for more… Officials in the two departments were locked in talks until late last night over the final amount. They finally struck a deal just hours before Mr Hammond’s Spring Statement today. Some £80 million of the funding will be new money from the Treasury.” – The Sun

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